SHS Fishing Team Casts Off

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As the fishing season starts and our team goes to competitions, one might be wondering, how is fishing competitive? Well, there are many things that might surprise you about fishing, including how they compete.

The day of the competition is very long, as they are allowed to fish from 7-3. Since they are out on the lake all day, they have to be very patient and wait for the fish to catch on. This allows the team to bond, but more importantly to learn lessons about being patient and having tolerance.

“The key is to have patience,” said junior Will Van Vessem. “It’s called fishing for a reason. Not catching.”

Along with being patient, there is a lot of skill involved in fishing. They have to practice to know all the little tricks that are incorporated into fishing. Some of these tricks include taking the weather into account, knowing what the fish eat and how to know where to find the heaviest fish.

“You have to pay attention to what the fish are feeding on at the time,” Van Vessem said. “You also have to throw in the wind, temperature, and time of day factors. You have to know what bait to use, when to use it, where to use it, and how to use it. Fishing is not about luck at all, it takes a lot of skill to be a successful fisherman.”

When competition comes around, teams from all over the metroplex come to compete. They arrive at around 6:30 to prepare and they are allowed to start casting their reels at 7:00. Before casting their lines, each team takes the time to scout the lake and find good spots to catch fish.

“The teams are made up of two people and a boat captain. You can also “pre-fish” the lake so that you know where the fish are going to be on the day of the tournament,” freshman Brantley Baker said. “I love to fish and being on the team gives me an opportunity to do it with a friend.”